Post by Ryan Maue:
The British media continues to mock and criticize the President, which has been petty and unfair in some respects. But how do we reconcile this? From the UK Telegraph
Barack Obama snubs British scientists by refusing to receive Royal Society medal
Barack Obama has snubbed Britain’s most eminent scientists by refusing to attend a Royal Society banquet in his honour at which he was to be awarded with a prestigious medal.
Quoting from the UK Telegraph (fair use for discussion and future reference disclaimer):
But Mr Obama’s aides responded to the invitation with a “very short” note in which they said the president would rather spend time at a south London state school. Mr Obama visited The Globe Academy in Southwark with David Cameron, the Prime Minister, on Tuesday. The two leaders swapped a number of high-fives with pupils before rolling up their sleeves for a game of table tennis against two schoolboys.
And the cherry on top of this sundae:
Had Mr Obama accepted the invitation, he would have been greeted by Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, who won a Nobel prize in 2001 for advances in genetics and cell biology.
Instead he met pupils at the Globe Academy who had won an award for designing a lunchbox which folds out into a plate.
Wise call Mr Obama. The Royal Society in years past was responsible for holding back new science thinking for decades. Very little has changed to the present day and I refer of course to the cringe worth programme Sir Paul Nurse the President of the Royal Society did as part of the BBC’s propaganda on climate change and the leaked emails.
Cassie King says:
May 26, 2011 at 9:25 pm
The Royal Society?
Defender and peddler in chief of some of the most eye wateringly wrong headed and mistaken theories throughout the history of modern science. Never have so many puffed up establishment toadies been so wrong for so long about so many things and never before has an organisation refused with such fanatical determination to see sense or recognise their own stunning ignorance.
The Royal society has been heavily involved through the centuries of scientific endeavour in some of the most hilarious errors/misjudgements/failures/ludicrous theories and it has defended some of the most indefensible theories in history long after they should have been consigned to the dustbin of failure. From tectonic plates to volcanoes on the moon to the speed of sound, right across the scientific spectrum there is one thing the RS has been famous for, it is the last to see reason and it is the last to accept the truth.
Throughout its history the RS has doggedly defended the wrong against the right, it has snubbed and insulted the pioneers in favour of the vested interest establishment, it has held back scientific advance with fanatical zeal. The crusty arrogant establishment seeing itself as defender of the old establishment status quo and seeing those mavericks who really advance science as enemies to be destroyed. The RS is nothing more than a gang of complacent old seat warming in crowd inbred back scratching nincompoops.
Come on Cassie, don’t be coy, tell us what you really think.
The adverse media coverage was definitely in the minority. Most people here were very pleased to welcome a US president (whatever you think about his politics). That’s why it’s called a state visit.
Please stop giving President Obama credit for not going to the Royal Society. You can think he did it for reasons listed above but I believe the truth is he is uncomfortable speaking in public without the benefit of a pre-written script. After the “toast to the Queen” episode he is laying low and staying away from anything he is unsure of or cannot have total control of.
Perhaps of interest in light of students and access to technology (and fun) with leaders
“THE lives of 5000 students in remote Australia have been turned around during the past 12 months, courtesy of a small green and white laptop.
Over the next three years that story will be writ large across the country, with the One Laptop Per Child scheme aiming to provide the computers to 400,000 children aged 4-15 in remote and regional Australia by 2014.
The OLPC program is a global scheme established in the US in 2005. To date, the non-profit organisation has given laptops to almost 2 million children worldwide, true to its charter of using technology to help bridge the gap between children in remote communities and their city cousins.
Yesterday, the local arm of the charity – of which The Australian is a sponsor – celebrated its two-year anniversary.
The executive director of the program in Australia, Rangan Srikhanta, said educators in the field had reported that the laptop roll-out had “literally changed children’s lives”
“If we can provide an XO to each of the 400,000 remote Australian children by 2014, we will have made a marked contribution to educational reform,” Mr Srikhanta said.”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/laptop-program-hailed/story-fn59niix-1226063774046
One Laptop per Child
http://one.laptop.org/
re “seven nations,” I guess I got it confused with the Rugby Sevens thingy, http://www.irbsevens.com/ oh well.
Latimer Alder is “much impressed by [Obama’s] dignity and courtesy on his visit here.” As an American who has lived and studied in the UK, I am too.
But perhaps the genius is really democracy in action: “the prospect of death [by losing the 2012 election] concentrates the mind wonderfully” – to borrow from Samuel Johnson.
To those who consider this topic ‘off limits for a science blog’…
Come off it, since when has GW been anything other than political, lets be honest about this. If it was about science, sceptical views would be mainstream, the GW’s would be struggling to make themselves heard.
As it is, a political clique allied to big industry/banking/insurance sees GW as a meal ticket. Its Statism against Libertarianism…so its bound to be political.
But in the UK we have a ‘conservative’ party who are so pro GW (prob due the fingers in pies) it makes your head spin. I dislike both our UK parties for their use of GW as a schtick to increase the power of the state over the individual.
In ‘The One’ you guys have voted in someone who seems to be the worst type of character regarding GW, sponsoring and promoting the GW hoax for his own ends. I disliked your Texan for going with the ethanol corn lobby…but I can see he needed the votes and did not really believe the GW hype himself. I think this guy actually believes it, or perhaps does not care?
So this blog is going to attract people who are anti GW, which tends to mean anti Statism, which will tend to be anti O’bama.
Kudos for shooting OBL though (am just amused by the lack of reaction to that in the media…had Bush done it, it would be seen in the media as a ‘war crime’…!!). But hey, lets be careful not to slate the guy too much…don’t want a bunch of Seals knocking at my door eh?
When, during the course of his State Of The Union Address IIRC, Mr. Obama mentioned Global Warming and got a smattering of laughter, he made a mental note not to risk that again. (You can see him look at the crowd and make the decision to delete the topic in future…)
I think that just extends to ego stroking plastic medals too… and the empty suits handing them out. Easy equation, really. No gain, significant “smirk risk”. Pass…
Looks like POTUS is playing ping pong on the least-used table in the least used room in all of Great Britain. For a sports room to not have a mark or smudge tells me the kids were shooed out of the room for some days while it was cleaned up and glossed over. Rather like the entire presidency of this idiot.
Jimbo says:
May 26, 2011 at 12:47 pm
dbleader61 says:
May 26, 2011 at 10:37 am
I respect Ryan Maue writings but respectfully suggest that this story is off topic for WUWT.
Read the second line at the top of this page.
“……puzzling things in life,……….technology, and recent news by Anthony Watts”
The lunchbox is a little puzzling and the Obama snub is recent news
————————————————————————————-
Point taken, although I am well aware of the header to WUWT. And notwithstanding Dr Maue’s response to BCC May 26, 2011 at 12:59 pm, that this wasn’t a partisan post, the comments went partisan and this post primarily became a bash the POTUS event. I have no love for Mr. Obama; I vote Conservative in Canada (finally a majority!); and would be a Republican if I resided in the US, but really don’t have much appetite for snark about any leader – at least those of the free world.
Just my opinion on a single post as I think WUWT is the best run blog on the the internet bar none. I do hope we can stay away from party and leader bashing for the most part and stick to puzzling things in science. This post and its comments were certainly fun.
I like your posts, Jimbo, and all that post here.
Phil’s Dad says:
May 26, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Mr President can perhaps be forgiven for not using the Queen’s full title.
Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God – of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Saint Christopher and Nevis and Her other Realms and Territories – Queen, Duke of Normandy, Lord of Mann, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
No he can’t. Can you see the word ‘England’ in that title? No, neither can I. Come on, the chap’s as ill-informed as most Americans but you would think that there would be somebody in the US State Department who might know better.
Catherine says:
May 26, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Encore!! Encore!!!!!
I award you both ears and the tail, Oh Toreodora Fabulosa! Your picaodora like ‘skewering’ of our politicians was ‘Spot On!’
My president has insulted our greatest ally and friend, the citizens of Great Britain. Many like myself are profoundly embarrassed by the petulant, childish behavior he has directed towards the leaders and citizens of Margaret Thatcher’s GREAT Britain. Please accept my sincere apology, on behalf of the adult citizens of the United States of America, for his shameful behavior.
We have 17 months before we can correct this political travesty via the ballot box, begin to regain our national self respect, and again earn the respect and mutual allegiance of our time tested allies. I assure you, many like myself are working hard to make that a reality! As for the others, they have only to look at the +9% unemployment, +$14 Trillion US debt, rapidly escalating inflation of basic commodities, clothing, and food costs, to realize we are on the wrong bloody path and must change course now.
dbleader61 says: May 27, 2011 at 9:32 am
Just my opinion on a single post as I think WUWT is the best run blog on the the internet bar none. I do hope we can stay away from party and leader bashing for the most part and stick to puzzling things in science. This post and its comments were certainly fun.
Speaking of puzzling things, science (as in measurement) and games with balls this witty piece was published about Wayne Swan (Treasurer) and his take on the mineral resource rent tax and decarbonising Australia.
A Ball Short of a Tennis Match
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/commentary/a-ball-short-of-a-tennis-match/story-e6frgd0x-1226062946085
The visit honoring student creativity was the more consistent choice as the Prez has demonstrated his own creativity by showing that he can make private sector jobs fold up into tin cups and unemployment checks. (sarcasm).
Error! Error!
Here, I’ll fix it: